Regulating valve for cooking utensil covers



Nov. 6, 1951 H. J. LEBHERZ REGULATING VALVE FOR cooxmc UTENSIL COVERS 2 SHEETS SHEET 1 Filed May 26, 1948 v INVENTQR. Ham m; J- $06154 ATTORNEY H. J. LEBHERZ REGULATING VALVE FOR COOKING UTENSIL COVERS Filed May 26, 1948 I TIT; '5

Nov. 6, 1951 EET 2 IQ/YE y 1 v INVENTOR.

7,, a /6am E U H u 9 a s N g? y a a m a/ u T m m 5% 1, W z d Patented Nov. 6, 1951 PATENT OFFICE" REGULATING VALVE "FOR? COOKING UTENSIL COVERS" Harry J. Lebherz, Frederick, Md., assignor to The Everedy Company; Frederick Md a corporaltionloflMaryland gl AP IiEation May- ZG', 1948-,-'Serial'No; 29289 4'. Glaims (Cl.

My invention, relates: broadly; to:kitchen: appliances, and, more particularly tower-baking; applia ance for uselonxcookrfitovesl One-;of,- the objects 0f myeinventionsisa to pro.- vide. an-improvedbaker for: operation over: the topeburnersofzcooksstovosrt Another object of! my; invention is: to:- provide an efilcient construction ofbaking utensil: for-useover theetop burners of cool:- stoves chaving means: for,supportinggvegetabies tokbeg baked and-includeing an improved: valve: imechanismcfon regulate 1 ing; the baking; time :period;

still= anotherqobjeetrofr my inventioner-isrtowproe videan improred valve mechanism: for:- control!" lingthe-effective-a'size of the-ventilatingzopenings in .-the. cover-of.- the baking; a pliance for cone-- spondingl-y: regulating-. the-frate ofcbak-ingja: timer;

Still another object of mminvention to-pro-= vide a constructiomof1baking:appliancmforruse over the 1' burners ofvgas: orwelectric:stoves;:inc1ud-. ing a manually ad iustable ;va-lve;mechanism hav ingiia :central closing; portion: andfacpair: ofiiheati convection current; operating;portionsgenerative: in coactionv with ventilation:openings'rinzthezcovem of the appliancez for .-efficientlysregulating;baking: 25 time; 1

Other and furtherobjectswfivmy innentionre+ side in the improved constructionrofibaking apepliance for. coolestoresrasrset forth-,more euny in the specification?hereinafteri-following by refers ence to the accompanying: drawings inJWhich':

Figure'ljisaside eleuat-ional view'ofiitheibakingr appliance: or: my: inventiom showing: the valve mechanism: at. the; top: of the rcovemiy Flgc; 2 'zisxa: vertical sectionahviem through the-.abakingnapre '35 pliance illustratingrthe:valvesmechanismtmovedf' to: open positioni'rfor ventingaithe interior :oflitl'ie ba in ppliance; i Eig'n 3i ism transverseasectional." view taken:'substantiallwonrline -3;-:-.3:' of.=:Fig. .2 Fig. :4 is a r-plan viewpartially'vbroken away; show ing, the portion of; the:baking?appliancerwhich zis -rplaced; immediately: over -thez-burner.zonihotxplate of .a cook stove; Fig; 5 'iszantop plannview: of the:- valve mechanism-v usedriinrrtheabaking appliancer of my invention; the valve mechanisma being" shown in posit-ion;foreventingethe bakingeapplie ance; Fig; l 6 18 8;; verticalisec-tionalivievwtaken'sube stantially,on linaafi afii of: Figs 5-; Fig. 7 wis'- aaplan-.w View showing thegvalve mechanism a p osition closing the vent openings .inrthe-cover; of: the-bake: n appliance; Fle 8 lis aevertical sectionalvviewl: ak n substantiallx onhline .8- 8,; oii-Eig 37;; Figs 1 9 is a plan view of the valae;plate 1elntmdierl;in! shoreline-mechanism ofqmyginventionandtshmwna moreeole rlrathe::defleatin tionsaoi etheeeea heating potatoes; vegetables; buns "or food; supe z, valve-plate on each side ofthe-ventlclosing pox-=- tions of the valve plate; Fig l0rislahtransverset sectional view :taken. substantially on i line, I lie-l 0 of Fig. 9.; Fig. 11 isa longitudinal sectional view throughathe valve plate taken substantially om.

line H-Hof Fig. 9 and Fig. l2-islarfragmene= tary view of the top of the-cover of the-baking; appliance and showing thearrangement of the vent openings l-on diametrically opposite, sidestot. the central pivot waperture; through. which the!- valvemechanism islj ournaled I Y My invention: isdirected to a baking applianoe for use over the-burners -01. hot plates of; gasr-on: electric stovesfor economically and-rapidly bakw ing: potatoesx or=- warming; buns, or:- foods. Thetbaking appliances is-lpressedl fromtmetallice sheet: material andeomprises a base support-which;- ma-ybe': readilycenteredroverpthe tops-0t a burnen or' hot plate, therbase support being providedl with upestruclc hoodedsibafllesfortthe passage or; heat' convection currents; A? trivet isarrangecleover"the-base: support and is? provided'rwithz heatr'a circulating-'passageszso that=heat convectio'mcur rents may readily circulatetherethrouglci Ion:

ported? by: the: trivetr An enclosing coverf'i mounted upon theb'ase support and extends around the trivet and over the potatoes -vege tables; or other foods, mounted on thetrivet, so that a cover provided with ventilating open-= ings inthe top thereof. 'I-liese ventilating open ings are controlled by a very' special construc tion of regulatingvalvewhich Iliave foundvery effective in properly controlling the baking process; I a l Referring to .the drawings in detail, reference characterl designates the-.base support having". a centrallsupporting; plate 2 with a flat annular.

solid portion 2a servingas a supportforth'e' an"- nular peripherahedge. 8! of. the coverl membenlj';

The centralsupporting,plate 2=is providedjvirlthla, central upwardly zdi'splacedlsecti'on 2b and in.tl'li's, section .I. provide annular. rows. of. radialli posed ,up-struck hoodedlbafllesl represented at, 3' andl LIn the-.flat-annular peripheral zone 211,1; providelan. annular row-of radially disposed;up

struck hooded baffles- 5. The rows of; radially dis-J- posed .up -struck- -'hooded balfies; 3, 4 audio are pierced through. the. central,supportingl-pl-ate and .l provide passages: for. heat convection currents; from, the-. burner or. hot plate .fromwhich-thesupa porting platens spaced. by; meansofytheccirculan; peripheral? flange l woof the; base support 3 ,braeketmember 6; is: secured to one side otgthe base support I and serves as a connecting means for a handle member I.

The cover member 9 fits over the central supporting plate 2 and is supported thereon by an annular peripheral edge 8 contacting a flat annular peripheral zone 2a in central supporting plate 2. The cover member encloses the trivet H] which isformed by a fiate plate having a central aperture Illa. therein and a plurality of concentric circular rows of apertures represented at liib, 10c, and 10d of increasing size. Hid has diametrically opposite apertures therein partially perforated in approximately semi-circular apertures with a downwardly depending lug extending therefrom forming feet We for the trivet which fit immediately around the central upwardly displaced section 217 of the central supporting plate 2 enabling the trivet to be maintained in position. The trivet provides a support for the potatoes, vegetables, buns or other foods which are to be baked, warmed or cooked within the utensil.

The cover 9 has the hooded top thereof provided with a row of equall spaced diametrically aligned perforations shown at H, I2 and I3 in diametrical alignment. These perforations are symmetrically arranged at the center of the cover member 9. Perforations II and I 3 comprise vent openings, whereas, central perforation l2 forms a journaling means for rotatably supporting the valve I l. Valve I4 is shaped in a-very special manner and is generally circular inlcontour including a flat diametrically extending portion l5 having a central outstruck downwardly extending circular projection l6 therein. Projection I6 is circular in contour and is centrally apertured at IT. The central diameter of the displaced portion l6 of the valve l4 substantially' conforms with the internal diameter of the central perforation l2. That is to say, the displaced portion of the valve l4 constituted by the circular projection l6 enters the perforation l2 andis rotatable therein. The thickness of the metallic sheet material forming the valve l 4 corresponds to the thickness of the material constituting the cover 9. Thus, when the valve M iscentered in the aperture l2 the valve is free to-revolve in aperture l2 with the projection l6 thereon rotating within aperture l2 as a bearing In order to retain valve l4 in positio with respect to cover member 9 I provide a securing screw l8 having a securing head l8a thereonand a screw-threaded shank 18b thereon which passes through washer member l9 and engages within the internally screw-threaded recess 20 in knob 2|. The knob 2| is formed from plastic material having a length substantially conforming with the length of the flat diametrically extending-portion l5 of the valve and filling the space between the angularly extending deflecting portions of the valve shown at 22 and 23. The deflecting portions 22 and 23 of the valve extend upwardly at an angle of approximately 30 with respect to the plane of the top of the cover member 9. The diameter of the valve I4 and the distance from tip to tip of the deflecting portions of the valveand the diametrical dimension of the flat diametrical portion l5 of the valve extend beyond the limits of the perforations l I and I 3. Thus the flat knob 2| to which the valve I4 is' secured by screw H! for rotative movement in perforation. as a journal may be revolved from the position illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 in which vent openings II and 13 are fully open to the position illustrated in Fig. 8 in which the flat The outside row diametrically extending portion I! of the valve entirely closes the vent openings II and I3 as illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8. In moving from the position illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 to the position illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8 the valve is confined with respect to the top of cover member 9 by means of washer l9 bearing against the under surface of cover member 9 and the flat diametricall extending portion l5 of the valve bearing against the upper surface of the cover member 9. Thus the valve moves in a journal which has a thickness substantially the same as the thickness of the material of the revolvable valve.

The knob 2| is molded as lightly as possible utilizing a minimum amount of plastic material with cored openings 24 and 25 as shown in Fig. 8.

In the operation of the baking appliance, when used for example in baking potatoes, the following procedure is utilized:

1. Wash four or five medium sized potatoes. Pierce each potato to center in several places with fork. This permits steam to escape and hastens cooking process. (If desired skins may be greased.) While damp, place potatoes on trivet under the cover of the baking appliance. 2. Place entire unit on burner or element on top of stove. Turn heat to Medium-Low. 3. Turn knob to close vent holes for first hour. Then open for balance of process. In cooking with gas, leave vent holes open for entire operation. 4. Baking time-% to 1 hour. The baking appliance is designed for use on top of the stove which will require very little gas or electricity. The result is a great saving in fuel costs over the method of using the large oven of the ordinary stove, which incurs a fuel cost, at times exceeding that of the potatoes.

The two limits of movement of the valve are displaced approximately from each other. In order to close the vent openings II and I3 the flat diametrically extending portion l5 of the valve completely covers vents l l and I3. In order to vent the baking appliance, the valve is shifted 90, whereupon, the deflecting portions 22 and 23 as illustrated in Fig. 6 deflect convection currents of heat from the interior of the cover member 9 away from knob 2 I.

I have found the baking appliance of my invention highly practical in manufacture and use. and while I'have described one of the preferred embodiments of my invention I realize that modificationsmay be made and I desire that it be understood that no limitations upon my invention are intended other than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. A regulating valve for a cover member having a. plurality of ventilating openings in the top thereof comprising a knob journaled for rotary movement intermediate the ventilating openings and a circular valve plate having a pair of upwardly protruding portions bent on chords of said plate connected with said knob and interposed between the cover member and the knob and shaped to cover the ventilating openings in the cover member in one position of said knob and movable to a position uncovering the ventilating openings in another position of said knob with said upwardly protruding portions deflecting convection currents which pass through the ventilating openings.

2, A regulating vent for a cover member having a series of substantially aligned openings in the top thereof comprising a valve plate having a centrally extruded portion projecting into one of the openings in the cover member, an actuating knob, a fastening device for securing the actuating knob in position immediately adjacent said valve plate and confinin the extruded portion of said valve plate on the cover member, a diametrically extending flat surface portion coextensive with said valve plate extending in surface contact with the cover member for closing the ventilating openings in one position of said valve plate, and a pair of upwardly and outwardly extending deflector plate portions integral with said diametrically extending portion of said valve plate and movable to a position over the ventilating openings when said knob is moved to a position in which the diametrically extending portion of said valve plate uncovers the ventilating openmes.

3. A regulating vent for a cover member having a series of substantially aligned openings in the top thereof comprising a valve plate having a centrally extruded portion projecting into one of the openings in the cover member, an actuating knob, a fastening device for securing the actuating knob in position immediately adjacent said valve plate and confining the extruded portion of said valve plate on the cover member, a diametrically extending flat surface portion coextensive with said valve plate and extending in surface contact with the cover member for closin the ventilating openings in one position of said valve plate, and a pair of deflector plate portions integral with said diametrically extending portion and projecting upwardly at approximately 30 to the plane of said diametrically extending portion and movable to a position over the ventilating openings when said knob is moved to a position in which the diametrically extending portion of said valve plate uncovers the ventilating openings for directing convection currents issuing through the ventilating openings in opposite directions away from said knob.

4. A regulating vent for a cover member having a plurality of symmetrically disposed openings therein in substantially linear arrangement comprising a valve plate havin a flat diametrically extending portion, a centrally disposed extruded portion projecting from said flat diametrically extending portion to a distance appreciably less than the thickness of the material of the cover member with which it coacts and journaled through one of the openings therein, a knob extending over the flat diametrically extending portion of said valve plate, means engaging the under surface of the cover member and connected with said knob for confining said valve plate and knob in position whereby said valve plate may be angularly shifted from a position closing the other of said openings to a position uncovering said openings, and a pair of angularly disposed deflecting portions integrally connected with said valve plate for directing convection currents from the openings in said cover member away from said knob while the said openings are uncovered by said valve plate.

HARRY J. LEBHERZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 427,519 Milner May 6, 1890 675,911 Tipney June 11, 1901 785,880 Hill Mar. 28, 1905 1,149,289 Post et al Aug. 10, 1915 1,471,961 I-Iovoy Oct. 23, 1923 1,711,631 Burnett May 7, 1929 1,725,521 Keiner Aug. 20, 1929 2,170,904 Kircher Aug. 29, 1939 

